Disabled pets face adoption challenges

Although Trippy has lost a leg, he's no less lovable than his other four-legged friends. Trippy, a Mastiff mix, was brought to the Euclid Animal Shelter severely malnourished and dragging a mangled leg behind him, probably resulting from being run over, said Ann Mills, the shelter's animal control officer. To survive an operation to amputate the appendage, first, his strength needed bolstering. Finally, after tender loving care by shelter workers, he was ready for the procedure to be performed. Euclid Pet Pals, a citizen commission focusing on several animal-centered issues including fundraising, covered the cost. "He was better off less than 24 hours without the leg than he was with it," Mills said. "I couldn't believe it." The 10-month-old canine, who loves children and other animals and is housebroken and friendly, now is waiting for a home of his own. Ed Pashkin, shelter manager for Geauga Humane Society's Rescue Village, provided insight for those with some hesitation about adopting a disabled pet. "What I've found in all my years working with animals is that people have more issues with a three-legged animal or one-eyed animal than the animals do," he said. "They learn how to adapt. We certainly get in animals that may be missing a leg or missing an eye. They usually get adopted fairly quickly. It pulls at people's heartstrings a little bit more. There's no difference whatsoever on personality. They're just as loving and have their own little quirks just like the other animals." However, Pashkin said animals requiring extra medications and veterinary visits for other medical conditions, and thus extra costs, are less likely to be adopted. Cats with dental disease are common examples, he said. About 8 percent to 10 percent of animals brought into Rescue Village have some type of medical condition or disability that may need additional work. "Unfortunately, we (can't) always take in animals with (certain) medical conditions because the chances of adopting them out are extremely low," he said. Peggy, a cat delivered to the Euclid Animal Shelter, has no medical concerns other than a missing leg. The 5-year-old black and white tabby, who was abandoned by people who left her in an apartment after being evicted, was brought in by a city service worker. "She gets around great and can jump up on the cat tree and uses the litter box," said Sharon Jensen, Euclid Pet Pals member. Throughout her several years of volunteering with the shelter, Jensen, a former Euclid Schools teacher, has met other three-legged animals, as well as a cat without a tail as a result of a dog biting it off. "It takes the right kind of family to take in a special needs (animal)," Jensen said. She's hoping that Trippy, as well as Peggy, who is shy and needs to be the sole cat in a home, are adopted soon. Jensen said that Euclid Pet Pals pays for veterinary bills, medications, food, litter and other items such as beds, bedding, bowls, cages and carriers needed to care for the animals at the shelter. Money that the shelter collects from adoption fees goes to the city of Euclid to defray the cost of staffing and maintaining the building on Lakeland Boulevard. "We rely solely on donations, memberships and fundraisers to generate income," she said. "It's always a struggle to keep our heads above water. As with other charitable organizations, we have been adversely affected by the economic downturn all of us are experiencing. Worst of all, we are seeing more and more animals abandoned or just released to fend for themselves when residents can no longer afford them." The next Euclid Pet Pals fundraiser is a Clam Jam and Boo Bash set for 6:30 to 11 p.m. Oct. 25 at Tizzano's Party Center, 1361 E. 260th St. in Euclid. For adoption information at the Euclid Animal Shelter, visit www.euclidpetpals.net; at Rescue Village, visit www.geaugahumane.org.

Advertisement

About the Author

Jean reports on feature stories across the area as well as Geauga County community and school district news. Reach the author at jbonchak@news-herald.com
or follow Jean on Twitter: @JBonchak.